~ Where Preservation Meets Progress ~

NEWS RELEASE County of Warren, New Jersey February 19, 2015 Bi-County Survey Launched for Route 31 Shuttle - Warren and Hunterdon Counties are evaluating the need for a commuter shuttle service along Route 31, launching an online survey to help gauge the need for and level of interest in the service. The survey will run for a month, until mid-March, and can be found at www.31ride.com. “We’ve got to find out what the needs are, and whether the interest is there,” said Warren County Freeholder Director Edward J. Smith. State and federal funding could be used for a shuttle, Smith said, but “everything depends on how many people respond” and whether the response demonstrates the need for public transportation. Traffic congestion has been a long-standing challenge to commuters along the Route 31 Corridor, and increased access to public transportation has been identified as possible solution to address this congestion and improve the commute for residents of Warren and Hunterdon counties. The proposed shuttle would run from the Oxford area to the Clinton Park-N-Ride, with possible stops at New Jersey Transit’s High Bridge and Annandale rain stations. The survey is a collaboration of Warren and Hunterdon counties, NJ Transit, and local transportation management associations, TransOptions and HART Commuter Information Services. Smith said he is excited about the possibilities, noting that if a Route 31 shuttle is launched, “For the first time you’d have public transportation to connect from Warren County to anywhere in the world.” From the park and ride lot and the train stations, travelers could access rail and bus routes leading to Newark Liberty International Airport and to New York City, with its connections to additional airports, train and bus depots, and ship terminals. Freeholder Jason J. Sarnoski noted the shuttle would run both ways and could serve as an economic engine for the region. “Expanding our options for travel in and out of Warren County will help us get people from where they live to where they work, and get people from outside of Warren County to take advantage of the businesses we have here in the Washington and Oxford areas,” Sarnoski remarked. “Any time that we can reduce the traffic on Route 31 would be a benefit to the public,” Freeholder Richard D. Gardner said. “This is a very positive pilot project, because as we see every day, Route 31 gets backed up into Warren County with folks that are trying to get to Route 78 to get to work,” Gardner commented, adding, “I’ve seen it get worse over the years.” “We’ve got a chance to get federal dollars, to get state dollars, to work cooperatively with Hunterdon County… this is big stuff,” Smith remarked.

This is an important message from your electric company, Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L). The company is monitoring developing weather conditions for the forecast heavy snow that is expected across the JCP&L service area.

JCP&L has activated its storm restoration plan and has additional line and forestry crews on stand-by to respond should outages occur.

Customers who are without power are encouraged to call 1-888-LIGHTS (1-888-544-4877) to report their outage or click the “Report Outage” link on www.firstenergycorp.com. Customers should immediately report downed wires to their utility or their local police department. Customers should never go near a downed power line, even if they think it is no longer carrying electricity. Extra caution should be used in areas where downed lines are tangled in trees or other debris.

For updated information on the company’s current outages, FirstEnergy’s storm restoration process and tips for staying safe, visit the 24/7 Power Center at www.firstenergycorp.com/outages.

Click here for information from the Warren County Department of Public Safety on how to prepare for emergencies caused by severe winter weather.

Snow Emergency Parking - The Township has an ordinance for Storm Emergency Parking which states "WHENEVER SNOW HAS FALLEN AND THE ACCUMULATION IS SUCH THAT IT COVERS THE STREETS OR HIGHWAYS OR THOROUGHFARES, AN EMERGENCY SHALL EXIST AND NO VEHICLE SHALL BE PARKED ON THE STREETS OR HIGHWAYS OF WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP". See Ordinance 97-13 for complete snow emergency details.

Please review Ordinance 10-12 - "An Ordinance to Create a New Chapter of the Township Code Regarding Placement of Mailboxes, Basketball Equipment, and Yard Damage by Municipal Equipment During Storm Operations on Township-Owned Rights-of Way".The Warren County Horseshoe Pitchers Club is looking for members. Click here for more information.

JCP&L would like to make you aware of a long-running nationwide utility scam that is again being reported in New Jersey. The scam involves a caller posing as an electric company employee threatening to shut off power unless an immediate payment is made using a pre-paid debit card such as a Green Dot card. JCP&L does not endorse the use of Green Dot cards as a bill payment method. If a customer receives a call from someone demanding payment of their electric bill by using a Green Dot card, they are being scammed and should report the crime to local authorities. Although JCP&L representatives sometimes do call customers to remind them that a payment is past due, they explain how a payment can be made using one of the following established payment options: Direct Debit, Automated Phone Payment (1-866-569-4770), Authorized Payment Location (www.firstenergycorp.com/forms/paymentagencies) or by mail. Any customer who has doubts about a call from someone claiming to be from JCP&L, especially one demanding immediate payment, should call JCP&L's customer service number at 1-800-662-3115. For more information, visit www.firstenergycorp.com/paymentoptions.

511NJ is a free phone and web service that consolidates traffic and transportation information into a one-stop resource for commuters and motorists in the Garden State. 511NJ provides up-to-the-minute traffic conditions and it's available seven days a week, 365 days a year. http://www.511nj.org/ShowPage.aspx?pageName=511Overview

The Department of Community Affairs and New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency recognize that many New Jersey families are currently going through or facing foreclosure. The State of New Jersey and the federal government provide a variety of programs to assist homeowners. Information about these programs is free. Visit Foreclosures - First Steps and/or Foreclosures - Fast Facts.

Click Here for information regarding a Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).